The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-04-16
Female Suffrage.

francnlSc 10 women, HAS pech MUM va"
cussed for some years past, and the ques-
ton still remains an open one, apparently
as far from settlement as ever. 1t was
submitted to practical test, last week, In
the municipal elections in Kansas, where
the women voted for the first time, and
where the issue afforded the public some
glimpses of what may result from the en-
reimbursement of the gentler sex. A
goodly number of them, some l2,oOO In
all, registered, in twenty-six towns, and at
once entered spiritedly into the canvass,
whooping up the voters and stirring up en-
thusiasm for their fayorite candidates.
The ludicrous features of the whole affair,
as presented by the press, will strike the
attention of every reader.
In Leayenworth there was temperance
issue to be decided, and the Republican
candidate for mayor would undoubtedly
have been elected had not Mrs. Cougar, a
temperance advocate from Indiana, made an
insulting remark about "society ladies
that brought the latter into line as deter
mined and industrious supporters OF the
Democratic candidate. Mrs. Cougar was
reported to have said that "the upper
stratum of social life in Leavenworth was
frightfully licentious, owing to the presence
of the military post of Fort Leavenworth.
The result was sort OF feminine cyclone.
"The upper stratum" determined to pun
ish the libel by defeating Mrs. Cougars
candidate, and at once went to work.
Cooks, nurses and chambermaids were their
first converts to anti-Gougar principles, the
prospect of an extra half-holiday and a ride
to the polls in the family carriage contrib
uting greatly to the prevalence of the view
that the lecturer imported from Indiana
was perfectly horrid." The washerwomen
and seamstresses were next looked after,
and all day long during the time that the
polls were open the indignant fair sex were
driving hither and thither pressing into
service every registered voter of either sex
who was susceptible to their influence.
Old silk dresses are said to have decided a
good many doubtful votes. Be that as it
NAV, the Democratic candidate got a ma
jority of 81, and Mrs. Cougar was re-
buked.
In Wichita, also, ludicrous aspects
of female suffrage presented themselves.
Of the 600 women registered, 300 put
down their occupation as "sports," and the
sports voted solidly at the opening of the
polls for the labor candidate for mayor and
elected him. The rest of the female vote
was about equally divided.
In Topeka the women held the balance
of power. Of total registration of !, 494,
as many as ,4O6 were females, and of the
200 who voted about 900 used Republi-
can tickets. Among the latter was fol-
lower of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, fully 20
years old, who, after voting, declared her.
self "now ready to die" having realized at
length the hopes she had SO manfully cher
ished ever since 1860.
As rule the ladies, it was observed at
Topeka, voted the straight ticket, though
some were scratchers and insisted on voting
for the pastors of the churches they attended.
One who came to the polls with baby in
her arms was rather Indifferent who she
voted for, but having had the benefit of in
formation from the representatives of either
party, finally cast straight democratic
ticket
The subjects the women were most in
terested in were, as rule, the temperance
question and the social evil. Saloons
and disreputable houses were vigor-
ously denounced by them at public meet
ings. At Leavenworth number of the
latter were visited by committee of ladies,
who afterward at meeting proposed and
had adopted a resolution calling for pro-
hibitive fines upon vice. The practical
effect of the enfranchisement of women in
Kansas, as indicated by last Tuesday cleo
ton, has been to increase the vote of the
party already predominant. Its ultimate
effect is uncertain. Perhaps it will be to
render more stringent the restraints now
imposed by law on the worse half of the
community This would be eminently de-
sirable if the better half were as able to en-
force as it is to frame laws calculated to
make men GOOD.